Foster care overhaul advances in NC Senate

A bill that would overhaul North Carolina's troubled child welfare system is drawing praise from many stakeholders, but some adoption advocates say it could destabilize adoptive families.

Each June, National Reunification Month honors the families who persevere through adversity to reunite with their children, and the community partners who walk alongside them. This year, Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina (FFA-NC) is recognizing the resounding strength behind those reunions, spotlighting personal stories of healing, progress, and possibility.

Mountain Xpress 05.28.25

By the time Nikki Owen was 16, she had lived in more homes than she could count, pinging among relatives, group homes and shelters.

WebWire- As National Foster Care Month Begins, Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina Urges Action Amid Shortage, Celebrates 50 Years of Impact

May marks National Foster Care Month, a time to honor the resilience of the more than 390,000 children and youth in foster care across the United States — including nearly 11,000 in North Carolina — and to recognize the families, social workers, and advocates who work tirelessly to provide them with safe, loving homes.

A foster mother's journey: Schultz family helps Onslow County children

May is National Foster Care Month, and one Onslow County woman is doing her part, both at home and at work, for the many local children in the foster care system.

WRAL- Bill aimed at revamping NC foster care system moves closer to becoming law

House lawmakers unanimously approved a foster-care reform bill on Tuesday that seeks to give the state more oversight of county social services departments.

Responding to Hurricane Helene- A pan-University effort

The UNC-Chapel Hill community has mobilized to support those impacted by the storm.

In response to the devastation across western North Carolina caused by Hurricane Helene, UNC-Chapel Hill has mobilized efforts to serve our state.

NC HEALTH NEWS by Grace Vitaglione
The legislation would increase state oversight of local social services departments and aims to find placements more quickly for youth with behavioral health needs.

Gaile Osborne is a foster parent to six children. She would’ve had seven if her first foster child had been allowed to stay with her, she said.

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - North Carolina lawmakers are moving forward with an effort to reform the state’s foster care system, which critics have called “broken.”

House Bill 612, filed Monday with bipartisan support in the state house, would make a series of changes to oversight of foster care in North Carolina.

“If this bill passes, many children can exit foster care, and spend less time in foster care, and also less time spent in court, which is a good thing,” said Lisa Cauley, a division director for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

On Wednesday, FFA was proud to stand at the NC General Assembly as lawmakers introduced the Fostering Care in NC Act (HB 612) — a bipartisan bill aimed at fixing our state’s broken foster care system.

WRAL covered the announcement and the voices behind the movement, including our Executive Director, Gaile Osborne, who has fostered 40 children. Her words say it all: “This is the highlight of the last 15 years of my life.”

Published March 25, 2025

NC lawmakers propose new watchdog office to oversee foster care system

After a WRAL documentary exposed systemic failures in North Carolina's foster care system, state lawmakers have proposed legislation to establish a Child and Family Welfare Ombudsman office to provide independent oversight and advocate for children's best interests. 

Published Monday, March 24, 2025

Meet FFTA's 2025 Dr. Laura Boyd Champion for Children & Families Award Winner, Gaile Osborne. Join us in celebrating her accomplishments at our Public Policy Institute this May! 

Published Wednesday, March 19, 2025

By Freda Freeman, Correspondent
Mez Teague and his adoptive parents, Jerrie and Daniel Teague.

Daniel Mez Teague, 19, may have ended up on the streets if he hadn’t been adopted by his foster parents when he turned 18.

“Fifty percent become homeless after aging out. When you turn 18, you are essentially out on the street unless you have someone willing to keep you,” said Jerrie Teague, Mez’s adoptive mother.

The racial disparities in foster care are real—and they’re not talked about enough. In this latest episode of The Fearless Fostering Podcast, Gaile Osborne, FFA’s Executive Director, shares her eye-opening perspective on how the system disproportionately impacts children of color.

Gaile gets honest about the biases we all bring to the table, the tough conversations foster parents need to have, and what we can do to push for change.

This is an episode every foster parent—and every advocate—needs to hear.

Listen now: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4fHjCHPfZNGiLhu03OJJvO

Watch WFMY News 2 Clip HERE!

Jerrie and Daniel Teague have been foster parents for 11 years. They are urging other families to become a foster parent.

BURLINGTON, N.C. — There is a need for more foster parents in North Carolina. 

In fact, Black and Brown youth are aging out of our state's foster care system with many of them having nowhere to go.

The journey to permanency isn’t the same for every child—especially for Black and Brown youth in foster care.Across North Carolina, children of color are overrepresented in the foster system and face lower adoption rates. But stories like Mez’s show what’s possible when families step up. After being turned down by 25 families, he found a forever home with the Teagues—who saw past statistics and focused on providing love, stability, and opportunity.Every child deserves the chance to succeed. As foster parents, mentors, and advocates, we have the power to change lives.A heartfelt thank you to Greg Funderburg and CBS 17 for bringing attention to this issue and sharing Mez’s journey. If you’ve ever thought about fostering, now is the time to take that step. Learn more here

Breaking News:
The recent lawsuit highlighting the challenges in North Carolina’s foster care system is heartbreaking but not surprising. As an organization committed to supporting foster families across NC, FFA-NC believes every child deserves stability, safety, and love—basic rights no child should be denied.

RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SECU Foundation recently awarded Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina (FFA-NC) a $300,000 grant for the development and implementation of a new centralized software system to support its advocacy and work for foster children. The platform will provide a statewide focus for managing professional trainings, certifications, and enhanced onboarding to help improve the enlistment and retention of foster parents in the state.

Families across North Carolina are creating memories around warm meals and cozy gatherings as we gather with loved ones to celebrate the holidays. But for over 11,000 children in our state’s foster care system, the holidays are often a stark reminder of the family connections they lack.